The present invention relates to a waterproof connector for waterproofing a covered electric wire.
A waterproof connector for waterproofing a covered electric wire is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 10-241782. A waterproof connector 1 has a waterproof construction structured such that a covered electric wire 3 introduced from a housing 2 is covered in such a manner as to be held between two separated waterproof members 4 and 5 and the waterproof members 4 and 5 in a covered state are supported by two separated covers 6 and 7 integrally formed with the housing 2, as shown in FIG. 1. The housing 2 has a guide portion 8 protruding forward so as to form a small rectangular column at an end surface thereof, as shown in FIG. 2. A guide hole 9 opening to a front end surface thereof and communicating with an inner portion of the housing 2 are punched in the guide portion 8. The covered electric wire 3 is structured such as to be outward introduced through the guide hole 9, as shown in FIG. 3. The covered electric wire 3 is constituted by a conductor portion 3a and a cover portion 3b for covering the conductor portion 3a, and the cover portion 3b is made of a resin. Further, the waterproof members 4 and 5 respectively have electric wire receiving grooves 12 and 13 partitioned by ribs 10 and 11 in sides of opposing surfaces to each other, and these electric wire receiving grooves 12 and 13 are provided in correspondence to the guide hole 9. The waterproof members 4 and 5 are respectively integrally formed with the covers 6 and 7, and the covers 6 and 7 including the waterproof members 4 and 5 and the housing 2 can be welded with each other in accordance a ultrasonic oscillation under pressure, and are formed by a resin having a compatibility with the cover portion 3b of the covered electric wire 3.
The waterproof connector 1 is assembled by at first engaging a terminal (not shown) connected to the covered electric wire 3 within the housing 2 and guiding the covered electric wire 3 outward from the guide hole 9. Next, the covered electric wire 3 is fitted to each of the electric wire receiving grooves 12 and 13 of the waterproof members 4 and 5, and the ribs 10 and 11 are faced to each other, whereby the covers 6 and 7 are faced to each other along a vertical direction. Due to the facing, both side ribs 6a and 7a of the covers 6 and 7 are opposed to each other, and inner surfaces 6b and 7b in a rear end side are opposed to an outer peripheral surface 8a of the guide portion 8. With keeping this state, as shown in FIG. 3, a ultrasonic oscillation is applied while pressurizing by a horn 14 from an upper portion of the upper cover 6 in a state of being mounted on a table (not shown). Due to the ultrasonic oscillation, the inner surfaces 6b and 7b in the rear end side of the covers 6 and 7 are welded to the outer peripheral surface 8a of the guide portion 8 so as to be integrally formed with the housing 2, the corresponding ribs 10 and 11 of the waterproof members 4 and 5 are welded so as to be integrally formed, and the connecting portion between the electric wire receiving grooves 12 and 13 of the waterproof members 4 and 5 and the cover portion 3b of the covered electric wire 3 is welded so as to be integrally formed with the covered electric wire, whereby it is possible to obtain a waterproof structure.
However, in the waterproof connector provided with the conventional waterproof construction mentioned above, a welding depth of the covers 6 and 7 including the waterproof members 4 and 5 is not set. Accordingly, there is a case that an excessive welding is performed at a time of welding in accordance with the ultrasonic oscillation and the pressurization. When the excessive welding is performed, there is a case that a sealing performance can not be obtained and there is a problem that a sufficient waterproof property can not be secured. Further, in the conventional waterproof connector, at a time of welding in accordance with the ultrasonic oscillation and the pressurization, there is a case that the resin leaks out to outer portions in both right and left sides of the welded resin covers 6 and 7 from the welded surface thereof, as shown by reference symbol S in FIG. 4. Accordingly, there is a problem that an outer appearance of the waterproof connector is deteriorated by the leaked out resin being hardened.
The present invention has been achieved by paying attention to the problems mentioned above, and an object of the present invention is to provide a waterproof connector which can prevent an excessive welding and can prevent a welded resin from leaking out.
In order to achieve the object mentioned above, a first aspect of the invention provides a waterproof connector having a waterproof structure. This is achieved by inserting a covered electric wire obtained by covering an outer periphery of a conductor portion with a cover portion made of a resin into an electric wire inserting hole defined by wire receiving grooves of a connector main body. The connector main body is inserted into a terminal receiving chamber and the cover portion and the surfaces of the electric wire receiving grooves are welded together in accordance with an ultrasonic oscillation and a pressurization from an outer side. Additionally, a weld depth setting portion for setting a weld depth at a time of welding in accordance with the ultrasonic oscillation and the pressurization is provided in the connector main body.
Further, a second aspect of the invention provides a waterproof connector according to the first aspect, wherein the connector main body is provided with an electric wire receiving table having a side wall including a weld line portion, and an electric wire receiving groove, and a cover having a side wall portion including a weld line portion welded to the weld line portion of the connector main body and a cover surface portion including an electric wire receiving groove forming the electric wire Inserting hole by being aligned with the electric wire receiving groove, the cover being covered over the electric wire receiving table, the weld depth setting portion is constituted by a receiving portion provided in one of the electric wire receiving table and the cover, and a contact portion provided in the other of said electric wire receiving table and said cover, and the receiving portion and the contact portion are brought into contact with each other, whereby the weld depth is set.
Further, a third aspect of the invention provides a waterproof connector according to the second aspect, wherein the contact portion is provided in the outer surface side of the side wall portion in the cover surface portion of the cover, and the receiving portion is provided in the outer surface side of the side wall portion in the electric wire receiving table.
Further, a fourth aspect of the invention provides a waterproof connector according to the third aspect, wherein the contact portion is constituted by the outer wall portion provided in the outer surface side of the side wall portion in the cover surface portion of the cover, and the receiving portion is constituted by a rib provided in a substantially center portion in a vertical direction of the outer surface side of the side wall portion in the electric wire receiving table.
In accordance with these inventions, it is possible to securely achieve the object of the invention described in the first aspect.
A fifth aspect of the invention provides a waterproof connector according to the first aspect, wherein the connector main body is provided with an electric wire receiving table having a side wall including a weld line portion, and an electric wire receiving groove, and a cover having a side wall portion including a weld line portion welded to the weld line portion and a cover surface portion including an electric wire receiving groove forming the electric wire inserting hole by being aligned with the electric wire receiving groove, the cover being covered over the electric wire receiving table, the weld depth setting portion is constituted by a rib having a weld depth setting line portion provided in a substantially center portion in a vertical direction of an outer surface side of a side wall portion in the electric wire receiving table, and an outer wall portion having a setting line portion provided in an outer surface side of a side wall portion in the cover surface portion and brought into contact with the weld depth setting line portion, and the outer wall portion is provided so as to protrude in a direction of thickness of the cover from the weld surface in which the weld line portions are welded to each other.
In accordance with the present invention, the respective weld line portions and the weld depth setting line portions are faced to each other by covering the cover over the electric wire receiving table. In accordance with the ultrasonic oscillation, the weld line portions are welded to each other, however, since the outer wall portion protrudes outward in the direction of the thickness of the cover from the weld surface of the weld line portion, the ultrasonic oscillation is not transmitted to the weld depth setting line portion, and the oscillation is fine even when being transmitted, so that the weld depth setting line portions are not welded to each other. Further, since the weld depth setting line portion of the outer wall portion in the cover side is brought into contact with the weld depth setting line portion of the rib in the electric wire receiving table side, it is possible to prevent the weld line portions from being excessively welded, so that the cover and the electric wire receiving table can be firmly combined and the waterproof property can be secured. Further, in accordance with the present invention, since the electric wire inserting hole is separated into the electric wire receiving groove in the electric wire receiving table side and the electric wire receiving groove in the cover side, it is possible to easily insert the covered electric wire into the electric wire inserting hole.
A sixth aspect of the invention provides a waterproof connector according to the first aspect, wherein the weld depth setting portion is a weld resin leakage preventing portion for preventing the resin weld in the weld line portion from leaking outward from the connector main body at a time of welding in accordance with the ultrasonic oscillation and the pressurization.
A seventh aspect of the invention provides a waterproof connector according to the fifth aspect, wherein the weld depth setting portion is a weld resin leakage preventing portion for preventing the resin weld in the weld line portion from leaking outward from the connector main body at a time of welding in accordance with the ultrasonic oscillation and the pressurization.
In accordance with these inventions, since the outer wall portion of the cover protrudes outward in the direction of the thickness of the cover from the weld surface of the weld line portion, it is possible to prevent the resin weld in the weld line portion from leaking outward from the connector main body at a time of welding in accordance with the ultrasonic oscillation and the pressurization. Accordingly, since the outer appearance of the welded waterproof connector is not deteriorated, it is possible to keep a good outer appearance.